HITTS -- Mrs. Matilda Hitts, wife of Joseph Hitts, aged 40 years and 9 months. Her sufferings and her dath was caused by cancer of the breast.

The funeral took place at the brick church Monday, June 1st, services were conducted by Rev. C. M. Holderman, text, Amos 4th chapter and 12th verse: "Prepare to meet thy God." While this sad intelligence reaches our ears, the solemnity of the text rests upon our hearts. When we retrospect the few brief days, we can scarcely reckon them by years that we met our departed sister in perfect health, it presents to our minds another text: "Be ye also ready." Death is surely abroad in this great land of ours, and not only does he stand at the door of our chambers and knock, but comes uninvitingly in and plucks for his prey the rarest of our plants, lays his stern, relentless had upon their brow and they are pale, cold and dead. Oh, grim monster death, thou dost not only come once but twice, yes, even thrice, until we may count the steps of thy cold, frozen feet. A few short Summers ago together with this kind sister we associated ourselves, had many pleasant conversations in our then woodland but happy homes. Since we met and mingled then many changes have come, of that then happy group few are left, but a goodly number have been alled from the companionship of this world to the land that lieth beyond human kin, and as the sad reality of the present to the write is, so has been sadder realities to the same in the past. And to your husband and children dear, it will be hard to speak words of comfort to our poor aching and lonely hearts, you have lost a companion, a helper in times of trouble, one whose place can never be filled. Children, mark the path your mother trod, you will find it as you journey up life's steep and stony way, strewn with care, cultivated with patience and blessed with meekness, kindness, gentleness, and above all these, charity; follow it prayerfully and it will prepare you to meet your God. Then weep not as those who week in despair, your mother is not dead but sleeping.

Besides the husband and eight children, an aged mother, four brothers and three sisters mourn their loss. Mother: truly you have lost an affectionate daughter, one in whom you have realized a perfect love, but you have learned long years ago that God's will is always best. Brothers and sisters, your much loved sister is not more, you will feel your loss sincerely, but the same God is your comfort, you are not without hope. To the absent brother and sister, we truly sympathize, that one so near and yet so far from you has been buried, and although the sad news was yours the last privileges, the last sad site was not. Trust in the creator and the preserver of all things and yours shall be the promise of eternal life.

L. H. DIEHL